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Monday, 22 March 2010

A New Week Begins

A new week begins at the Happy House and after all the excitement of the opening, the hard work begins again.

It's heartbreaking that although local people support and love our Happy House, so grateful that we are here to help the kids but they cannot afford to help themselves. The Kenyan Revenue and Port Authority has drained us of all the money we needed to see us through the first few months. They have taxed and penalized us every which way refusing to believe the container loads of goods, given freely by you, our supporters, were for used by children. They said everything was too good.

Even though we have shown them the Happy House, protested and appealed, all has fallen on deaf ears.

Any 'rainy day' money has gone. Our bank account has been cleaned out by greedy officialdom.

We do feel down, but we are not defeated.

As I write this to you I can hear the children at nursery class in the banda. I look out of my office window and can see the nursery teacher Josephine, as she asks a question a lot of little arms go up in the air, with kids eager to give her the answer. They are like any other nursery class anywhere else in the world. In just a few short weeks they have come so far. After a traumatic start in life, they are playing, learning and living a normal childhood. They have no need to be afraid.

It is they, my children, and others who will follow them here who will keep my spirits up . What the Kenyan authorities has done is wrong, but I can be certain that what the Happy House is doing is right. These kids deserve a safe and happy life.

We now have to raise the money to secure their future and we need your help. PLEASE can you help us by holding a fund raising event or, maybe,getting together with your friends to sponsor the wages of a 'Mum' or 'Auntie' or by making a donation? Every penny will help us.

Towards the end of this week Rose & I start building the Happy House Families of sponsors, introducing those of you who already sponsor to their Happy House child.

Many of you have already done so much, and I know from your heartwarming messages how much you love our kids. Please help us if you can.